2016 Carifta Games starts today

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Collin Reid Photos courtesy of Supreme Ventures and Courts
Members of Jamaica's team on the track at the Grenada National Stadium yesterday in preparation for start of today's Carifta Games.

Seventy-eight of the country's top junior athletes will go for glory today and over the next three days as the 45th staging of the Carifta Games for Under-18 and Under-20 athletes will begin this morning at the Queen's Park National Stadium in St George's, Grenada.

Today's opening day will see some 20 finals being contested with 12 on the track and eight in the field.

preliminary round

Zinadine Russell who was the silver medallist a year ago in the heptathlon behind teammate, Ayesha Champaigne, will be the first Jamaican to compete today.

The morning session will also see preliminary-round action in the 100 and 400 metres, where the likes of Kimone Shaw, Dejour Russell, Jhevaughn Matherson, Nigel Ellis, Raheem Chambers, Sanique Walker, Tiffany James, Christopher Taylor and Akeem Bloomfield are down to compete.

Today's second session will get under way at 5:30 (4:30 p.m. Jamaican time) with the finals of the girls' 1500 metres. There will also be the finals of the 100 and 400 metres later in the evening. Both Taylor in the Under-18 boys 400 metres and Bloomfield in the Under-20 are expected to successfully defend their titles.